The Technology Association of Georgia and Hub Magazine’s Food Technology feature, Bytes, have announced the results and winners of the inaugural Bytes for Bites food and fund drive competition, which benefits the 8 regional Food Banks that comprise the Georgia Food Bank Association.  To determine the winners, each dollar raised equates to four pounds of food in the competition totals.
 
Twelve Augusta companies participated in the two week competition that took place from July 11th- 22nd and raised $6,032 and 2,139 pounds of food for the Golden Harvest Food Bank. Collectively as the TAG Greater Augustachapter, the 12 companies won the Top TAG Chapter award in the competition by raising 55.6 pounds per employee and beating out TAG Atlanta, TAG Athens, and TAG Middle Georgia.
 
Augusta companies also won statewide and regional awards:
Statewide Awards
Small Company Winner - Pounds per Employee
Digital Office Equipment: Augusta
238 Pounds per Employee
 
Midsize Company Winner - Pounds per Employee & Total Pounds
EDTS LLC: Augusta
15,563 Total Pounds & 208 Pounds per Employee
 
Regional Awards
 
TAG Greater Augusta Winner - Total Pounds:
EDTS LLC: Augusta
15, 563 Total Pounds
Benefitting Golden Harvest Food Bank
 
TAG Greater Augusta Winner - Pounds per Employee
Digital Office Equipment: Augusta
238 Pounds per Employee
Benefitting Golden Harvest Food Bank
 
The following Augusta based companies contributed to these efforts: Augusta University Graduate School, City of Augusta IT Department, CMA Technology, Digital Office Equipment, EDTS LLC, Ipswitch, Inc.,Powerserve International, Retirement Strategies, Inc., Rural Sourcing Inc. (RSI), SunTrust Bank, Troy University, and Unisys.
 
The Augusta efforts were also supported by the Augusta based Bytes for Bites Steering Committee Member Tonia Gibbons, Outreach Director with the Mayor’s Office of Augusta.
 
Statewide, over 40 technology and technology enabled companies representing more than 8,000 members of the industry participated in the two week competition. They collectively raised $26,200.68 and 4,098 pounds of food, surpassing the goal of $25,000. This is the equivalent of 90,751 meals that the Food Banks will be able to distribute to families and children struggling with hunger in Georgia.
 
“We are so grateful for TAG’s leadership and for each company who participated in the inaugural Bytes for Bites competition. The technology industry has always been known for its innovation and creativity, and I am excited to recognize it for its great generosity as well,” said Danah Craft, Executive Director of the Georgia Food Bank Association. “The 90,751 meals provided by their donations will have a real impact on the families and children served by our regional Food Banks.”
 
The Grand Prize TAG Cup Winners are Definity First (Atlanta) who raised the most pounds per employee statewide with 2,126 pounds per employee, and Aaron’s, Inc. (Atlanta) who raised the most total pounds statewide with 22,788 pounds.

“I am really proud of what the Technology Community can accomplish when they come together. I have witness great things over the past 12 years at TAG, and this is definitely one for the books. Let continue to use this momentum and build upon the success for next year,” said Tino Mantella, CEO of TAG.